As demand for data and connectivity increases, network planners and installers are seeking more efficient and cost-effective deployment options for their fiber to the X (FTTX) rollouts. FTTX comprises the many variants of fiber optic access infrastructure. These include fiber to the home (FTTH), fiber to the premise (FTTP), fiber to the building (FTTB), fiber to the node (FTTN), and fiber to the curb or cabinet (FTTC). The optical FTTP or FTTH network is an optical access network that supplies broadband or ultra-broadband communication services to a number of end users (e.g., services that require data transmission speeds measuring several hundred Mbit/s or even higher).
An optical FTTP or FTTH network typically includes a number of fiber nodes (i.e., fiber connection points) to which a multi-fiber cable is connected. At a fiber node, the individual optical fibers (e.g. 6, 12, 24, etc. fibers) contained in the multi-fiber cable are broken out of the multi-fiber cable and into a same number of single-fiber cables that are each terminated with an optical fiber connector so as to be coupled with another fiber optic connector at the fiber node.
Connectors are conventionally used to connect a multi-fiber cable with a fiber node. Conventional connectors typically include a hardline connector housing with an open interior for housing the broken out fibers and furcation tubes through which the fibers pass to a terminated end with a fiber optic connector. Such conventional connectors only allow for the cables to be connected at a single angle relative to the fiber node. For example, the connector housing may be aligned with (e.g., coaxial with) a receiving opening on the fiber node. Thus, if the opening on the fiber node is arranged horizontally, the multi-fiber cable disposed rearward of where the multi-fiber cable enters the connector may bend downward under the force of gravity. Similarly, if the opening on the fiber node is arranged upward in a vertical direction, the multi-fiber cable disposed rearward of where the multi-fiber cable enters the connector may bend downward under the force of gravity. Such conventional connectors can cause bending or kinking of the fiber, which could result in damage to the cable and loss of optical signal.
Some conventional connectors may include a fixed shape, for example, a shape forming a right angled elbow. Such conventional connectors are not able to bend and move into other shapes or angles. Thus, when installing a cable in such conventional connectors, the fiber strands of the cable must be pushed through and around the right angled elbow of the connectors. This can be difficult to accomplish and such conventional connectors can cause bending or kinking of the fiber, which could result in damage to the cable and loss of optical signal.
The disclosed connector is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above and/or other problems of the prior art. For example, it may be desirable to provide a flexible fiber node connector that allows freedom of movement of the connector relative to a multi-fiber cable and breakout cables such that a technician can install the connector to a fiber node at any angle without twisting, kinking, or bending the fiber breakout cables that are held within the connector.